Persona 3--Trade Me
by Bayanette Winters
Summary: A new girl comes to town years after Minako's death, and with her comes something new, something familiar, and something that will change things up. For Good or for Evil? Trade me places and we'll see.
1. Chapter 1--Wiping All Out

_Been a little while but I'm still battling_  
_Moving fast while you's just prattling_  
_No time for me_  
_No tangling_  
_Hit you in the spot with no angle and_

_I'm not a princess_  
_(A lot of anger in it)_  
_Not your cutie girlfriend, oh no_  
_don't you know?_

_09/12/2013 _

"Run!" She'd screamed to herself. It was unnecessary, but she had to keep going. She wasn't even entirely sure what was following her. It was just…black and slimy and…big.  
She tripped-of _course _she tripped-and slid into the harsh gravel. Looking up, the world was no different than it had been before. And yet…she couldn't tell exactly what it was, but…

Oh no! It'd caught up with her! I roared it's ugly head, a white mask beginning to boil over with black blood, and aimed to strike her down.  
A burning sensation filled her muscles, and…IT rose forth. Her screams made all other nightly noises obsolete, especially the sound of the Beast lifting out of her body into existence.

Akihiko walked around in empty night, sighing in the air of the old and familiar Iwatodai. He couldn't believe that he was back. He wasn't even sure what brought him back here. Maybe it was nostalgia or maybe he just needed a break from all of the battling he'd been doing. He breathed in the fresh air again, and slid his red hood off of his silvery hair.

Then, he heard it. A whimper, like that of a dog that had fallen into a pothole and injured its leg. He cautiously meandered the alleys to find the source, and instead came upon a girl. She was very small and meek, about his age. Her long blonde locks were carelessly strewn about her face and her body was sprawled stomach-first over the ground, indicating she'd struggled against something.

"Hey," Akihiko whispered, slowly bending over to push on her shoulder. Then he noticed the blood trickling from a puddle in her chest. He panicked and picked her up in his bulky arms.

"We need to stop that bleeding…."

She woke up in a cozy bed, but didn't care where it had come from. She remained inside the fluffed up covers all day and all night, and all the day after that. She even heard someone speak above her, but ignored the gruff insistency it held. She pushed her head further into the feathered pillow, and didn't come out for another 3 days.

_Welcome, to the Velvet Room…._


	2. Sidestep: Shinjiro Aragaki

_I want to live forever, everything would come true,_

_But various things drive me into a corner._

_The time I have left to live, the coordinates of my dream, the place where I am-_

_They're all important things._

_All right, let's stay here for a little and eat something sweet._

_When I just stopped thinking like that, I became proud._

_When I look back at the road I walked down,_  
_I get fed up with how it's nothing but things I didn't want._

_Letting the things I touch shine-_

_That kind of path is the kind I wanted to live._

_09/11/2013_

Approaching his apartment complex, Shinjiro let out a long sigh. Then, slowly turning on his heels, he went to venture around the block again. He wasn't quite ready to head back inside. Really, it was generous of Mitsuru to pay for his living expenses while he'd recovered from his coma, but two years of taking care of the bills was more than enough. Plus it just didn't feel like home anymore. Nowhere ever did, it seemed.

Shinjiro stopped suddenly, just to find he was back at the complex's doorstep once more. He stared emptily into the faded yellow wood, reminiscing on the past events of the month and, albeit, the year.

His best friend had gone off to travel around the globe, putting his strength to the maximum test by battling worthy fighters. Shinjiro had to scoff humorously at the thought; he'd had to all but shove Akihiko out the door to get him going on his dreams. Nowadays, the sliver-haired idiot was impossible to get a hold of, but Shinjiro imagined he was happy doing the thing he loved most.

Plus, it took his mind off of the empty seat on every park bench and every love-sack and every restaurant's couple's booth . No one wanted to be accused of dwelling on them, so any distraction-no matter how possibly destructive-was a good one.

Shinjiro shook his head and all but kicked open the front door. He did the same thing to his apartment's entrance, and stormed inside to fall on his master bed (truly, Mitsuru was being too good to an old friend). He let out a deep sigh as he sunk into his mattress.

Now staring at the ceiling, he allowed his mind to wander to long before Aki's self-declared mission. He, of course, was referring to _Her. _She always snuck into his life when he tried to avoid it, sometimes holding his hand or touching his cheek with her warm and fragile fingers, or kissing his lips as she barely breathed, "_I love you, Senpai". _

When she found him this time, it was her smile that did it. He'd closed his eyes for only a moment when she appeared, clear as day, with that grin that was both mischievous and inspiring. I was the kind that made the harshest winter heart melt into sad, transparent puddles. It was a weapon she had that was used on Shinjiro often-he fell to it every time.

Shinjiro snapped his eyes open again, pretending he wasn't having a difficult time breathing back in the air the girl had inadvertently taken from him. He slowly sat up from the comforter, deciding that he was sick of laying around feeling sorry for himself, and headed to the bathroom. He took off his trusty old beanie, shaking out his messy brown locks. Then he turned on the sink to splash some water on his burning cheeks. Had he not known any better, he would've thought it was that blinding grin that'd got him all flushed up.

He stared at his reflection for a moment, watching tiny droplets of warming water tumble off of his nose and chin. He needed to shake this off. After all, shed become Aki's girl while he was down for the count and unable to protect her young heart. No use wallowing over his best friend's lost woman…

Suddenly, a lump ran into his throat and he started coughing-hard. Even though he was leaning over the wet sink, instinct made his hand leap to catch the noises passing his lips. When the fit subsided, he looked down into his palm. A deep red pool swished back and forth at his every pulse. Shinjiro calmly but swiftly poured it into the drain and used a Kleenex to wipe the remains from his skin. He looked at his palm a little longer and gave a signature, "tch" before tossing the tissue into the garbage. It was already overflowing with other balled-up spheres that were probably weeks old by now.

He'd promised Aki that he'd be waiting for him when he got back, but the pompous ass probably wouldn't show until years to late. Damn him.

Fin  
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Hey guys! This is my latest story! (SPOILERS BELOW!)

What's happened up to this point is Minako has become the Great Seal. Everyone has been going about their own lives (based mostly off of events in Persona 4 Portable).  
In the female ending of P3P, if you had maxed out Shinjiro's Social Link, he lives from his coma after being shot. That's why he's appeared now.

You'll notice this part of the story was called "Sidestep". I'll do on every few chapters or so. It's basically just stepping back from the main story to look at what's happening in everyone else's head while the big events are going on. This issue was for Shinjiro, who's been dwelling on thoughts of Minako and Akihiko (In P4 Arena, Akihiko left to become super-assed buff! OMGSOHAWTNAO!)

Another quick note, I've seen other writers do a part from a song before each of their chapters. I thought it was a cool idea, so each of my stories will have an into song! :)

This one's was the English translation of Angel Beats!'s Alchemy. I felt it fitting for Shinjiro's situation.

The last chapter was Wiping All Out-Minako's theme from P3P. Heh heh. :)

I don't own any of the songs used or the story/characters from P3P. This is all just in good fun. :)


	3. Chapter 2--Long Dream

_Every day streets are crowded with people_  
_Every night streets are jammed with these noises "Things are so strange, are they real or a dream" "Where am I now, trapped in this city of illusion"_

_Feel the people hear the voices_  
_They are reaching out to catch you_  
_Feel the rhythms hear the noises_  
_You are beating all the visions_  
_Is it angels is it devils whispering in my ears_  
_Is it emotions is it illusions_  
_I need to be with you_

_Welcome to the Velvet Room…._

Everything in her head was pounding, but she couldn't stop the images from pouring over her eyelids.

"_Me? I'm Junpei Iori. Nice to meet ya."_

_"Yes…Ten years ago… The night I was born into this world, I set foot on this very bridge."_

_"_Strega._ They're still alive."_

_"Chidori!"_

"_Senpai, we made a promise! Let's find her! And Aigis too!"_

_"…I'm glad I met you."_

_..._

_09/17/2013_

With all of those memories bubbling up in her limbs and heart, she burst awake, throwing off the covers. A rough, thick arm blocked her from jumping out of the bed and, when it collided with her stomach, she felt her entire body convulse inward.

As she coughed into her clenched fists, the arm withdrew and awkwardly cradled her head.  
"Sorry," a male voice grumbled. "It's…instinct."

She looked up at the boy in painful surprise. He was sitting next to her in the queen-sized bed, his silver hair and chin stubble shimmered in the sunlight cast through the window. His hazel eyes stared down at her scarlet ones, and it scared her how direct he was. She wanted to flinch out of his grasp, but she couldn't so much as breath without groaning in intense discomfort.

"Sorry…," he mumbled again.

"It's…fine…" Her voice was sparse as the silverette laid her back down.

"You had a pretty big gash on your torso," he explained, "I stitched it up as best I could. Oh." He fluffed a pillow beneath her. "I'm Akihiko, by the way." The boy named Akihiko moved to sit beside her.

She shifted into a less uncomfortable position. "I'm….Aki."

Akihiko gave a small, involuntary laugh. Aki stared at him, raising a brow. He shook his head. "It's nothing."

She looked away again. "My full first name is Akira."

He smiled. "I think I'll call you that for now. It'll be less…confusing." She didn't understand what he meant, but let it go. She gazed around the room. They were in a hotel with big brown walls, plush fur carpets, a box tv, and a single fridge idling in the corner. There was also a door next to the bed Akira was lying in, and she imagined that it was the bathroom.

Akihiko sat in a fat armchair near her, still staring intently at her face. She looked back at him, glaring slightly.

"What?" She muttered, her voice guarded.

"Your eyes," he replied. "They look like…." He turned away quickly, suddenly blushing. Akira touched the cheek beneath her scarlet pupils. It was true that eyes like hers weren't common, but why did he bring them up? Were they really so strange?

Akira felt a peculiar draft pass over her torso, and looked down. All of her chest and most of her stomach were expertly wrapped in reddened bandages. She squealed, making Akihiko jump.

"Wh-what's wrong?"

She quickly pulled the sheets back over her body.

"What did you do to my clothes?"

It took Akihiko a moment to process what she was thinking, then his entire neck and face became red. His words became muddled.

"You…I….your wound was pretty big. It ruined your clothes. And….I've had some practice bandaging people…I swear I didn't look at anything."

Akira refused to look at him and buried herself in the blankets. She hid there as her pained breathing finally slowed. She found that as long as she held perfectly still, she didn't hurt so much.

She heard Akihiko sit down and give another sigh. "You ought to rest," he said. "You've been through a lot. We can talk later."

Akira did as he suggested, though it wasn't hard. Even under the strange, current events, she was exhausted. Even if Akihiko had indeed de-clothed her to tress her wounds, she felt inexplicably safe with him.

Sleep found her easily, but her true rest did not.

"_Welcome, to the Velvet Room…"_

_..._

Akira was flown back into a disarray of images and faces that she didn't recognize. They were staring at her from afar, then up close. Their lips didn't move at all, but they spoke.

"_The sole purpose of my existence is to destroy shadows. For that reason, I was given a personality and a persona."_

"_Defeating Nyx is... impossible. It has nothing to do with strength, ability, or power. Just as all living things die... and the flow of time is continuous... Nyx cannot be defeated."_

"_People can't survive without help from others. …We all depend on one another_. "

"_Don't go! You...you idiot!" _

_..._

Akira thought that she'd awoken again, but came to realize that it was not the case. She looked around her, but found that there was no Akihiko, no bed sheets, no hotel windows-or any window for that matter. She was in room that seemed to resemble an elevator, with a big clock donning high in the center. Doors surrounded her on all sides, and many blankets were draped over them. The oddest part of the place was that most of it appeared blurred to her-especially the two men standing right before her gaze. She felt her mind start to spin and her body tightened. It was like she was being pulled back into the darkness behind her.

"_It's not yet your time to meet us, honored guest…." _One of the figures said. Their blobbed head gave a nod and she was gone.

...

Akihiko was shaking her awake.

"Akira, are you okay? Wake up!"

Akira drew in a breath, as if she'd been pulled from a drowning ocean-although she'd been screaming, in reality. When she realized what she had been doing, she swiftly forced herself to calm down.

"Sorry," she apologized when she had relaxed. "Bad dreams…."

Akihiko had been fiercely gripping her shoulders, and now he withdrew them, sighing in relief.

"They sound pretty bad to me," he said. Akira sighed, too.

"Sorry…."

"Don't worry about it."

...

After some awkward silence, Akihiko was watching Akira eat the soup he'd ordered her. Akihiko had found one of his old shirts that he didn't usually bother wearing and was letting her wear it. She seemed to be mulling over something, or was perhaps just ignoring him. He never really could tell what others were thinking.

Finally, the question that'd been boiling in him since he'd first found her accidentally slipped out:

"What happened to you out there?"

Akihiko thought Akira would freeze or become guarded. However, she just simply sat and thought for a moment before coolly answering: "I don't remember."

"You don't?"

"No. I'm not even sure where I am."

Akihiko rose to sit beside her on the bed. "You're in Iwatodai." This seemed to surprise her.

"Iwatodai?"

"Yeah. Do you remember who you are?" He didn't know how much memory loss she may have suffered. She gave him an uncertain look; she seemed to know what he was implying.

"Yes, I remember my past. I just don't remember how I got to Iwatodai-or _why _I came here."

"I see…." Akihiko was suddenly deep in thought. "I have an idea. I have a friend, Mitsuru Kirijo. She might be able to help us."

"Kirijo?" Judging by her expression, she knew the name and the reputation that came with it.

"Yeah. When you've rested a bit more, we'll take you to her and see what she can help us find out. Do you have any family here?"

Akira shook her head.

"Anyone to stay with?"

"No."

Akihiko put a finger to his chin thoughtfully. "Then…you may as well stay with me. I can't have you wandering around the place with no protection." She looked uncertain again, and even a little scared.

"I hadn't thought about it that way…."

Akihiko put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry," he said, "I'll look out for you." Akira gave him a small smile and touched his hand, her fingers unintentionally stroking one of the scars between his knuckles. The action was so familiar that it made him jump and withdraw. It startled Akira, but she didn't say anything. He stood and grabbed his red cape, tossing it around his bare shoulders.

"Sorry, but I have to go somewhere," he said to her. "I won't be out for long. Please just…stay here." Akira bobbed her blonde head in a nod, though he couldn't see it with his back turned to her. He swiftly left, slamming the door behind him.

...

When he was outside, he ran blindly through the streets. Her touch had stirred something inside his heart, which he'd come to believe only beat for the battle. It gave him a nostalgia so powerful it made him sick. Her hand was so soft and delicate and comforting.

And then…there were her eyes. They were like looking into mirrors of the past. Their red depths were so deep and the could swim in them, and the emotions they passed were so rich and subtle. He didn't even feel like they were hers, really. Just some relics that Akira had stolen from ancient times…

He finally stopped, heaving in large gulps of air from emptiness around him, and looked up into the night sky. At last realized what had shaken him up enough to make him run.

He wasn't really thinking of Akira, he was thinking of _her. _Akira's eyes reminded him of his lost love, someone he had strived to forget for all these years. God he hadn't thought of her in so long…

Akira's gaze was not unlike Hers, and that made him remember. It hurt so badly that he had needed to get away from her, and from his own memories. There had to be some way to rid himself of these feelings again. He'd spent years finding ways to do so, and now he needed to put it all into practice…

"Yo," someone called behind him. He lazily looked their way. It was a small gang of men-one with a gun pointed at his head. "Give us all your money."

... ... ... ...

Woot! Another chapter up and running!

Poor Akihiko, with his long lost love being gone and all...It's a shame. :(  
Speaking of which, someone asked me if this is an AkihikoXMinako fanfic. You'll just have to wait and see! ;)

The song that opened this was "Long Dream" from The World Ends with You" Soundtrack. It's a DS game, and if you haven't played it, DO IT NAO. It's a Square Enix game, for those who love Kingdom Hearts like I do.

Anyway.

The usual applies to all stories; I don't own the characters or P3P storyline (but I can say I own Akira. :P)


	4. Chapter 3---My Soul, Your Beats

_On a sleepy morning when I just fall asleep and wake over and over__  
__I fasten my neck tie tightly  
__I walk through the classroom able to stick out my chest ever so slightly  
__The wind blows right through such ordinary days  
__Because I felt like I sensed it_  
_Just now, in my heart that has begun to tremble _  
_I felt it come again _  
_Some hundred million stars vanishing _  
_I saw them off _  
_Waved goodbye _  
_And said "Good for you"_

_09/17/2013_

Akira waited up all night for Akihiko to return. She felt guilty that whatever she'd done had driven him away from the safety of the hotel room. She tried to fall asleep, so that his return would come much sooner, but couldn't seem to drift back into it. Was it fear that she'd go back to her nightmares that made no sense? Or was it fear that Akihiko wouldn't come back? She'd been attacked by something at night, and wondered if the same thing that got her would get him, too.

Akira slowly sat up and meandered to the bathroom, clutching her body as it stabbed her nerves with vicious pain. She slumped over the sink, turning on the light to look at her reflection. There stood the face she'd known all too well.

Her small nose and thin eyebrows were nothing to be proud of, and her plump lips were not particularly exciting either. She was pretty, but just average (she at least thought so). Her scarlet eyes shimmered sleepily. She took a quick glance down at Akihiko's borrowed shirt and gently tugged it off. There was another average thing-her chest. Only now, it had blood-soaked bandages holding her frailty together. She decided to change them on her own.

As she took them off, she caught a view of her wound. She had to gasp; it went from the top of her right breast to above her left hipbone. It was jagged and stitched up, like she had been some kind of experiment. Her stomach trembled, and she dashed to the toilet where she threw up the soup Akihiko had given her earlier.

A door closed, and a gentle hand was on her back. Her fingers instinctively found the shirt she'd been wearing and she pulled it into her chest. She wanted to retain some modesty in front of whoever owned the rough, calloused palm.

When she'd finished, she shivered, only now noticing the cold air that hit her bare body. The hand came around to help her back up by the stomach. He was very careful not to touch her long scar. The rough, attempting-to-be-gentle hands had already become all-too familiar. She knew who was helping without looking up.

"Uhhnnn…..," she groaned, wishing she had a toothbrush on hand. Akihiko guided her back to the bed, picking up a new set of bandages on the way there. She swayed as she sat on the mattress.

"Here," Akihiko muttered, touching one of the hands clutching his shirt. "Let me patch you back up." Akira didn't move, her cheeks flushing red. Akihiko's did too, and he looked to the far wall. "I swear I won't….look."

Akira was pretty sure that'd be impossible, but she was too tired from the vomiting to argue, so she obeyed. As Akihiko began wrapping the bandages, he stared straight at her face. This was quite possibly even more mortifying than looking down towards her chest; she hadn't met many people that were willing to look at her right on.

When he finished, he helped her back into his shirt.

"Feel better?" He asked. Akira nodded. "What happened?"

She touched her covered chest. "I just…saw my…and I felt…sick."

Akihiko nodded in understanding. "Good thing I got back here. At least you got it out of your system."  
"Thanks…." she met his eyes, then gasped. She finally got a good glimpse of his face to see his lip was bleeding and a fresh bruise was sprouting under his cheek. "Akihiko! What happened to you?" He looked away again, putting his supplies back in the bathroom.

"I took a hit or two," he muttered when he returned. He heaved a sigh. "I can't believe they got me, actually. I don't normally get hit so easily by scum like them…I need to get back to training every day. I was too distracted tonight….I might be losing my touch."

Not all of what he said made sense, but Akira got the idea. Whatever she'd sparked inside him earlier had made him go out to start a fight. She reached over an touched his arm.

"Sorry," she said. He looked surprised.

"Sorry? For what?"  
"For whatever I did earlier. I didn't mean to make you upset."  
He flinched; she'd hit the sore spot. "It's…nothing you did."

An obvious lie, but she let it go; she could tell that he didn't want to talk about it. Instead, she began to clean up his lips with her fingers. He shivered uncertainly. He wasn't used to others touching him, but he let her work. She dabbed at the blood until the small cut stopped sweating, and wiped the liquid off of her and onto her new bandages. A glass of water sat next to her on the bed, filled with ice. She put a cube against his bruise. He hissed a bit, and Akira laughed.

"Don't be a baby."

"I don't like the cold…." He insisted with a pout.

"Probably because you've got so much blood pumping from your head to your muscles that you don't even know what cold _is_, genius." She held the ice onto him until it melted, then took another piece to put on his lip. Before it evaporated, Akihiko got fed up with it and tried to swat her away. She wouldn't have any of it, pointing out that she was a cripple and deserved absolute respect. He frowned again and opening his mouth slightly to swallow the frozen water. Akira laughed and smacked him on the nose.

"Fine. Be stubborn, you child."

He gained a slight smile. It was strange to be so playful…it seemed that since neither of them knew how to interact with others, they were reverting to states that reflected a more relaxed and carefree past.

Akira laid back down and closed her eyes, patting the side of the bed next to her. "Just get some sleep, boy."

"In there?" The surprise in his voice was evident, like he didn't know how to hide it. She grinned slightly.

"You need to get some rest. Besides,…" She opened one eye to him. "It's not like you didn't sleep over here the other night. You stopped me from getting up too fast, remember?" Akihiko blushed.

"I didn't mean anything by it."

"Just lay down."

Slowly, he meandered to the farthest side of the bed and curled up on top of the covers. Akira just laughed softly at his attempt to keep his distance.

"Goodnight," she muttered.

"'Night."

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Hello! Sorry for the wait! I'll be doing my best to post a new chapter every week.

The song at the beginning is the English Translation to the opening song "My Soul, Your Beats" from Angel Beats. (GOOD ANIME!)

More Akira and Akihiko interaction. A bit slow, but will be speeding up soon.


	5. Chapter 4--Relying on Others

_Broken and vanishing into the distance _  
_I want to love this dazzling world once more _  
_I hide my dreams within my eyes _  
_Until my tainted heart _  
_Receives falling tears_

_09/29/2013_

Akira stared up at the large building in awe. It towered over all others, shimmering a brand-new silver that illuminated cities morning and night. It was a Kirijo building that was meant for not just doing business, but pleasing clients of all sorts. It also served as a place for Mitsuru to stay whenever she had to stay late for a particularly large project. According to Akihiko, those nights came often.

The boy started walking forward, but had enough sense to look back and realize that Akira was still standing there. She had a nervous frown on her lips. Akihiko gave her a quick, "Hey," and gestured for her to come with him. She didn't even spare him a glance, and she most certainly didn't make an effort to move. Akihiko finally approached her and took her hand, tugging her along. She reluctantly followed him into the building.

The pretty brunette receptionist on the first floor looked at him strangely, and Akira could see why. He still had his cape on, and wore no shirt otherwise. Akira wondered if he'd ever showered while she healed and rested up. She wasn't sure, but he'd always smelled good to her.

The receptionist didn't seem to think so.

"Mitsuru is expecting me," he informed the woman, oblivious to her upturned nose, but leering eyes. "I'm Akihiko Sonada."

The woman widened her eyes, and gestured them both to an elevator nearby.

"6th Floor," she muttered. "She's waiting."

When they got to the correct floor, Akihiko seemed to know where he was going, and led them off to one of the many doors on the left. Akira was uncertain about going inside; she'd heard of how rich and powerful Mitsuru Kirijo was, but she was most afraid of what the woman was see inside her. She'd heard that the woman was very intelligent, and her gaze was a cool and collect as two ice spheres. The scar on her chest suddenly burned.

Inside, Mitsuru stood and greeted them with a nod. Akira was overwhelmed by her beauty. Her long flowing locks were seared red, as where her narrowed eyes. The perfect skin on her face suddenly held a small smile.

"It is good to see you, old friend," she said to Akihiko. The boy, still holding Akira's hand, broke into a grin as well. He released Akira and went over to Mitsuru.

"It's great to see you again!" He said.

Mitsuru's gaze turned now to the girl Akihiko had brought. She gave Akira a warming smile.

"So, you're the girl that Akihiko has told me so much about." She walked over and extended her hand. "He's told me that you've been through a lot."

"Nice to meet you," Akira muttered, shaking Mitsuru's hand. Despite her being the rumored "Ice Queen", her grip was very warm and solid.

"Well, I'm glad you both could come today, but I don't have much time to talk." She angled her body to face the both of them. "There's a fundraising party going on here tomorrow night, and I have some last minute details to attend to."

"A fundraising party?" Akihiko rose a brow in confusion.

"Yeah. Actually, I'm having everyone on the team attend. I'd like you to come too." She glanced at Akira. "The both of you."

"The team?" Akira questioned, but the two old friends ignored her.

"I dunno, Mitsuru…" Akihiko scratched his head. "Parties aren't really my thing."

"Everyone will be there." Akihiko flinched at her tone; it was more of an order than some kind of persuasion. She smiled shortly. "Then I'll see you there. Until then, you can both stay here for the night."

"Please, you don't need to trouble yourself with me," Akira insisted. But she could see the unfaltering decision.

"No, I'll put you up here. It's not trouble at all. Akihiko." Mitsuru picked up a cell phone that was on her desk. "Show her to the usual guest room. When you're done, I need to speak with you for a moment."

Akihiko nodded as Mitsuru headed out.

"Follow me," he told Akira. When they were out of the room, Akira breathed a sigh of relief. Akihiko peered at her over his shoulder. "You alright?"

"Yeah. Just…" She lightly touched her stitched up scar. "I dunno how to feel about all of this. I have never needed to be helped like this…I don't really know how to take it. I don't want to be a burden to anyone." Akihiko looked away, scratching his head.

"Well…it's no big deal. Really, you're not a…. I mean…it's just until you get your memory back…" He was trying to be kind, but was fumbling over his words. Akira gave him a small smile and felt herself relax a bit.

"Thanks."

Akihiko's cheeks turned slightly red, and he abruptly stopped in front of a door marked with the number 613. He opened it up for her.

"Get some rest. I'll come to check on you later." He turned on his heels to leave.

"Akihiko." She quickly grabbed his wrist, startling the both of them. A sharp, electric shock ran through their limbs. They stared at each other for a moment, eye to eye, and she noticed his gaze start to soften. He got a look in his soul that she could've sworn she'd seen before, but…that was impossible.

He swiftly averted his eyes, pulling himself sharply out of hand. Without a word, he just left.

...

It was close to 11pm when Akira had a knock sound at the door. She'd just finished applying medicine to her stitches, and jumped when the noise sounded. She got up and cautiously opened the door.

"Good evening," Mitsuru greeted. Her small, calculating smile made Akira nervous. "May I come in?" Akira nodded and brought her in.

"What's up?" Akira asked with an even voice. Mitsuru glanced around the room, as though remembering what furniture had been there since the last time she'd been there. She turned back to Akira, looking her up and down.

"Do you have any clothing that's your own?"

Akira jumped at the question, shaking her head.

"Akihiko bought this for me a few days ago. It's all I have right now."

Mitsuru smiled; this time, it was very kind and genuine. "Come with me."

In yet another of the million rooms in the building, Mitsuru was putting shirts, jeans, and jacket's up to Akira's chin and hips to get accurate measurements. Akira simply stood there and let her examine her sizes, unsure of what to say.

"You look best in blue," she told her finally, pressing an aqua shawl to Akira's collar bone. "I'll be sure to have my private tailor come and make you lots of blue clothes."

"Why are you doing this for me?" Akira interjected. Mitsuru looked up a her, accidentally showing a bit of shock in her expression. Her face suddenly turned soft, her vibrant lips turning up in a small smile.

"You know, Akihiko talks very highly of you when you're not around," she answered instead. "It seems these past few weeks with you have been, dare I say, fun for him." She tried to decide between two leather jackets for Akira. Both matched the style of her skin-tight outfit.

"Why…is that?"

Mitsuru frowned at one of the jackets. "Because…you remind him of someone we knew a very long time ago." She threw one aside and handed Akira the other. "You remind us both of her."

"Her?" She stared down into the leather coat. Who was this "her"? Was she the reason Akihiko was always running from Akira?

"Akira." Mitsuru demanded her attention just with her voice. Akira jumped again and saw that Mitsuru was heading into another section of her clothing library. It was filled with rows and rows of beautiful gowns.

"If you're going to be attending one of _my _parties," she told Akira, "then you'll need to look the part." She beamed. "Pick whichever one you'd like."

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Yes! Yet another Chapter!

This opened with the song "Lacrimosa" from Black Butler. :)


	6. Chapter 5---Swaying

_When marimba rhythms start to play_  
_Dance with me, make me sway_  
_Like a lazy ocean hugs the shore_  
_Hold me close, sway me more_

_Like a flower bending in the breeze_  
_Bend with me, sway with ease When we dance you have a way with me_  
_Stay with me, sway with me_

Shinjiro overlooked the crowd before him. Fuuka stood very close to him, most likely out of pity or fear of interacting with strangers. He looked down at her, and she gave a small, nervous smile. He gave her a smirk back; she was still so tiny and timid, even with her braid wrapped maturely in a tight bun. Shinjiro guessed all computer nerds were like her, but he didn't really mind it.

"The others should be here soon," Fuuka muttered softly. Shinjiro almost didn't hear her over the whining violin strings. The snazzy band in the corner didn't seem to notice everyone else trying to enjoy their night; they just played away at top speed.

"Tch," he muttered in response to Fuuka. She gave a real smile this time. Shinjiro pretended to roll his eyes, but it was just a hoax. Truth was, he'd become very fond of Fuuka since Aki had left. He'd been teaching her how to cook (even though it was more like doing it for her most times), and even actively listened to her tech speak. She'd become like his little lost puppy.

"Hey."

Shinjiro turned to the voice, wanting to give it a playful punch in the throat. Akihiko grinned at him, his eyes vibrating with a fighter's passion. A bunch of old memories fell into Shinjiro's chest.

But, to retain his cool, he gave Aki a brisk nod.

"Long time no see," he said. "Finally fall off your white horse?"

"Nah," Akihiko replied, shrugging the comment off. "Just taking a rest." He tried to hold back a laugh, suddenly. Shinjiro straightened up, glaring at his old friend.

"What?"

"Nice suit."

Shinjiro looked away. "Tch."

It wasn't his idea to get dressed up like this. After being given his outfit, he'd had to button down the tux so that he could breathe. And the tie Mitsuru gave him? Hideous! It was set in the men's restroom somewhere now. The purple monstrosity couldn't reach him now.

What Shinjiro missed most, though, was his beanie. Mitsuru's lackeys had spread gel all over his locks and pushed it back all of the way. He felt ridiculous, and now he couldn't even cover up his eyes to hide from the other guests' stares. He instead made them pierce Akihiko's very soul.

"You're one to talk about monkey suits," he hissed. Akihiko got a nauseous look on his face, and instinctively pulled on his own tux's collar. His tie was bright red and was completely undone around his shoulders. His muscles were nearly ripping the seams of it. He and Shinjiro were still the same as ever, more alike when they could ever know.

"Heya! Senpai!" The group looked over to where their old comrades, Junpei and Yukari, were approaching.

The brunette had, like Fuuka, let her hair grow out past her shoulder bones and the shorter strands curled up around her ears. She wore a bright pink dress that dangled over her knees and had spaghetti straps keeping it locked around her neck. Little hearts decorated the fabric, like some sort of love festival. She gave the group a smile and waved.

Junpei had on a tux that was neat and smooth, but when he saw the others' styles, he groaned, "Seriously? We can do that?" and loosened just about everything. He even pulled out his signature cap from his stuffed coat pocket and slipped it over his buzz cut. He sighed happily, then approached Fuuka.

"Fuuka!" He yelled. "You look very gorgeous for a geek!" He called out when a fist abruptly bombarded his head.

"Give it _up_, Junpei," Yukari scolded. "She's never going to go for you. Especially not with poor compliments like that…"

Shinjiro and Akihiko shared a glance and a smirk. It certainly brought back memories, being with the old gang.

"Where are Ken and Koromaru?" Fuuka interjected.

"They weren't able to make it tonight," Yukari explained. "They had some other things that they needed to do."

"Nonetheless, I'm glad you five could at least make it." Mitsuru glided over to them, sporting a skin tight cocktail dress seemingly made of white swan feathers. Her hair was elegantly done up, clearing her bangs to reveal her perfect snowy skin. She was easily the most beautiful woman in the room…and the most threatening.

Everyone greeted her, trying to keep their jaws off of the floor. She gave them nods and turned to Akihiko.

"I've got a friend for you," she told him. Then, Akira stepped from behind her, shyly bowing her head.

"Hey," she greeted softly. Her dress was a very pale blue, hugging very close to her body until her knees, where it flared out to grace the floor with its presence. Her hair was done in a long yellow French braid with flowers embedded into the individual strands. She had a light layer of blush on her cheeks and wore one of Mitsuru's white-silver snowflake necklaces.

"Hey," Akihiko muttered, trying not to stare for more than a few moments. Shinjiro didn't bother trying to hide his; there was something about the girl that he couldn't quite put his finger on, but…

She suddenly realized that he was standing there, and her eyes went wide when she met his gaze. It was like she'd seen a ghost or something. Shinjiro tried to ignore it for the moment, and extended his hand to her.

"I'm Shinjiro," he introduced, "this idiot's friend." His head bobbed to Akihiko, who gave him a short glare. The girl slowly reached out her hand for his.

"I'm Akira Narukami." When their hands touched, she looked even more shocked. Maybe it was the jolt that came from their touch. Or maybe it was something else.

"I'm Junpei Iori," the hat-wearer stepped in. He took Akira's hand from Shinjiro's and kissed it lightly. Akira seemed off-guard at first, then yanked her palm away.

"Nice to meet you," she replied, "but don't touch me."

"She's my kind of girl." Yukari was laughing and shook Akira's hand, too. "I'm Yukari Takeba."

"And you can call me Fuuka," the last girl said. "It's nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you all, too." Akira slowly and subtly stepped closer to Akihiko. The boy didn't really seem to notice, but Shinjiro on the other hand could easily see that she felt safer with Aki than she did with anyone else in the crowd. When at a close enough distance, Shinjiro saw a relieved sigh pass through her lips. She even smiled-only slightly.

Mitsuru had said something, but Shinjiro didn't hear it. He looked up just in time to see her leave to speak with some important political figures in the crowd. The rest of the group chatted amongst themselves. He tried to pay attention, but enjoyed watching his best friend interact with the new girl. The way they talked to each other was so humorous. They'd meet eyes directly, then one would see the others' attire and would look away embarrassed. Akihiko was the biggest idiot of the two if for no other reason than that he was trying to avoid staring at the girl's two red eyes. The entire set of friends had recognized them-it was just that no one said anything.

Her eyes….were reminiscent of their old leader's….

Min-….

Shinjiro shook it off. This was no time to think of her. He couldn't faze out again.

He heard something peculiar then, just above the din. It was Akira's voice:

"Wanna go dance, Akihiko?"

The…_idiot _clammed up and wasn't quite sure what to say. Shinjiro knew that he was trying to decipher hidden meaning to the words, something he'd never been good at in his life. However, it was odd that he even thought to try. Usually, the dope couldn't think his way out of a paper bag when it came to women. But perhaps it was because of Akira's disarming red gaze that he'd become more aware of his surroundings.

Shinjiro shoved Akihiko towards Akira with his shoulder.

"Go," he muttered. "Dance with the girl."

Akihiko and Akira swayed awkwardly amongst the crowd, very careful not to bump into other bodies. The girl couldn't make herself look straight up at her partner, so she instead focused on the straining buttons over his chest. Suddenly, the boy laughed.

"What?" Akira asked, still not meeting his gaze.

"You've got that furrow in your brow," Akihiko replied.

"What furrow?"

Akihiko rose their joined hands and poked the center of her forehead. "That one." He gave a chuckle while Akira blushed. Their casual banter was getting noticed-mostly by the other woman looking upon her with hatred. Yet, Akihiko was as dim as ever, and didn't notice a thing.

"You have no regard for personal space," she said to him, frowning. She was trying to loosen the bond that was smoothing over their little not-so-private bubble. Whenever she got near to him, not only was everything suddenly familiar, but also very warm and buzzing. She didn't really understand what it all meant, and it was causing everyone around them to react, too.

Akihiko, of course, didn't sense anything was amiss. He just gave her a big, stupid grin.

"You're doing it again."

"Shut up! I am not!"

"Are too!" Another laugh from him.

"Pffft." Akira tried to remove herself from their stumbling waltz, but Akihiko's grip was very tight. He wasn't ready to let her escape the teasing.

Or…was it something else?  
He was staring at her eyes again, losing himself in a fantasy that she could never decipher through his hazel pupils. She saw so many flickers of remembrance there. Akira gently pulled back; she was so tired of "almosts", and wasn't ready for certainties either.

She shook her head. Wait, what did she mean by that?

"Mind if I step in?"

Shinjiro was at their side, and looked like he had been for awhile. Akira wondered how much he'd heard of hers and Akihiko's playful banter.

"Sure," Akihiko said oddly, letting Shinjiro take his place. The brunette took her hand and hip, and started swaying with her much more expertly and steadily than her previous dance. Akira realized how limp she was at first, then moved her free hand to Shinjiro's shoulder. He was scrutinizing her very carefully, and Akira felt she would've been afraid of the serious glint in his eye on a normal day. However, this was a time where she just stared right back up at him, equally curious.

"So," he began, "you come here often?" He said it with such severe conviction that she burst into a fit a giggles. He tried to hide his growing smile. "_That's _the reaction I was looking for."

"Sorry I'm so serious." She apologized. "I guess I'm just a little shy around strangers." There was a silence between them.

"So what's life been for you since you met the meat-head?" He bobbed his head back towards Akihiko, who'd meandered to the food table to find something loaded with protein to snack on.

"Well, I still have no memory of why I'm in Iwatodai. But it really hasn't been that bad. Everyone's been really nice, so I can't complain too much."

"Quite an optimist, aren't you?"

"Well, what about you? Where do you stand?"

Shinjiro was silent for a long time, his scowl set deep into his face. He instead stated: "I've known Akihiko a long time. He's always been the cheerful one."

"What does that make you?"

Shinjiro met her crimson gaze. "Not."

Despite the dead-set heaviness to his words, Akira giggled again. "You sound like you have the plague or something."

"Tch," Shinjiro muttered. "Tell me about it…."

There was a commotion up front as the music abruptly stopped. Mitsuru had begun a speech, but the ground had started shaking beneath them. Everyone was panicking, screaming "Earthquake! Get out of the building!" Shinjiro brought Akira close into his chest.

"What the hell?!" He muttered. Akira clung to his jacket, staring at the others beginning to flee. Akihiko came back over, and Shinjiro threw the girl into him. "Get her out of here!"

The windows and walls of the ballroom's farthest side were cracking. Something was coming in.

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

The next exciting chapter of P3TM! Woohoo!

This chapter finally reintroduced everyone-although I can't promise that I'll dwell on everyone. Sometimes, you can't give everyone the same amount of screen time, ya know?

The song at the beginning was Sway by Michael Buble. Hee hee! I love that song!


	7. Chapter 6--Angel of Darkness

_The love is lost, beauty and light,_

_Have vanished from garden of delight,_

_The dreams are gone, midnight has come,_

_The darkness is our new kingdom…._

_Now realize, the stars they die,_

_Darkness has fallen in paradise._

_But we'll be strong, and we will fight_

_Against the creatures of the night._

_09/30/2013_

Akihiko ran with Akira and Fuuka, fleeing with the other guests out into the endless Kirijo hallways. He tightly gripped Akira's hand as he dragged her with him through the waves of screaming adults.

But suddenly, Akihiko stopped. Others rushed passed him like he'd just parted the red sea. He loosened the buttons on his white shirt, releasing his massive pectorals.

"Fuuka," he called to the girl who had paused with them. "Take Akira outside, and help get everyone to safety." She nodded, and he started to leave. Akira didn't let him go.

"Wait! Why are you going back there?" She asked, pleading him with her damn intimate eyes to stay.

"Something's not right about this. I have to go back and help my friends."

Akira nodded slowly. "I understand." Their hands separated and they were split apart by the flow of the crowd.

…

"This way!" Fuuka called. Akira stumbled behind her, trying not to trip over the other people that were faster than they were. Another tremor shook the floors, making most fall and some just shiver. Akira slowed her stride and stopped in her tracks. Fuuka had been holding Akira's hand, and now slipped from her fingers. Fuuka tried to get back to her, but was swept away by the crowd.

Whatever had stopped Akira was pulling her back…back towards her new friends and the source of the earthquake. Akira fought her way against the crowd to return to the ballroom.

Mitsuru tore an axe off of the wall and tossed it to Shinjiro. Yukari and Junpei grabbed their own weapons, and Mitsuru released her prized rapier. Akihiko bore his fists, as he tore off the rest of his upper clothing. They turned to the wall, which with the floor's every shiver gained another crack.

"Everyone hold your ground!" Mitsuru called out to the others. They took their stances, all hoping that there was nothing on the other side of that wall.

But…they were terribly disappointed.

At the stroke before midnight, the world began to slow. Citizens who were running were all at once had their strides become slow-motion, and the atmosphere became blue….the Midnight Hour had returned…

The group of friends were unaffected, readying their stance as the Shadow came inside. It shook out it's brilliant mane and stood on its two satyr legs. It growled at them, baring its magnificent fangs. It looked like a mix between a Chinese dragon and a polar bear. Its white body dripped with immense mounds of fur. It's beady black eyes stared into each kid with a hungry glare…

"A-a Shadow?!" Yukari screeched, the bow in her hands shaking slightly.

"Stay focused!" Mitsuru called out to them. "We need to take this thing down…" Her eyes narrowed, her very aura beginning to emit an icy haze. "This _monster_ destroyed my building. We're not letting it get away."

The Shadow took the first blow, swinging its might fist down and nearly hitting Junpei smack on the head. He was able to dodge it just in time, slicing his katana down into its fingers. The beast groaned, sliding its hand on the floor to knock Junpei over. Akihiko dashed over to the Shadow's left leg and thrust his fist into its Achilles tendon. Shinjiro followed-up with a mighty swing of his axe, hitting the same spot as his friend had. The Shadow screeched and fell to one knee. It looked down at the two boys and attempted to bat them away. Both were able to jump out of the way without injury.

Mitsuru armed her rapier and ran to the creature's other leg, rapidly jabbing at its foot until pools of black blood poured out onto her ballroom's floor. The Shadow fell to its other knee. Yukari sent dozens of arrows into its chest, creating little spikes that protruded menacingly. The beast attempted to bat them off like tiny flies. It rose its mouth to let out a horrified cry, shaking the ground and everyone on it. The group tried to stand steady, but nearly all of them fell.

The Shadow stalked over to the disappointed Junpei, reaching its gnarly nails to scratch off his skin. Junpei stood and gripped his sword.

"Fine!" He yelled fearlessly. "Come and get it!"

The beast grasped Junpei in his fist and rose him to be level with his chest. Junpei, his arms still free, stabbed the Shadows' fingers. The beast groaned and flinched, but didn't drop the boy.

Akihiko pulled himself off of the floor, trying to regain his balance. He watched as the monster drew Junpei to his truth.

"No," Akihiko hollered. "NO!"

"Wait!"

The Shadow suddenly stopped, his saliva slowly dripping down Junpei's back. It pulled him back out of its mouth and looked past the others. Akihiko followed its gaze.

"Akira!"

The girl stared up at the Shadow, Akihiko and the others stared, at her in shocked.

"She's moving in the Dark Hour," Mitsuru whispered, unable to hide her surprise. Akira paid no attention to her. She just held her gaze to the Shadow. Akihiko could see that, despite making her presence known to the creature, she had fear that she was trying to control in her face. But there was also a sense of duty.

Fuuka followed in after her and gasped, breaking the air's frozen silence. She touched her collar bone in fearful amazement, looking to Akira as though no other being were of importance in the room-not even herself. The realization that rapidly flickered in her eyes frightened even Akihiko, though he knew not why.

"Akira! RUN!" Fuuka screamed shrilly. "It's coming for _you_!"

The Shadow dropped Junpei onto the ground, and everyone heard a crack as he landed harshly on both legs. He grunted loudly and Yukari stumbled to help him. The Shadow sauntered Akira's way, seeing nothing else in the room. Akihiko's stillness was broken and he was about to whirl around to protect Akira, but Shinjiro was swifter. He was up and running o the Shadow. He dug his shoulder into it, his astounding strength nearly knocking the Shadow off its feet. Akihiko followed suit, hitting the spot next to his friend with his entire left side. The Shadow stumbled, but simply walked onward.

Akira finally took a step back as the beast started to gain speed, but seemed too stiff to move.

"Akira, run!" Fuuka yelled again. "It's coming!"

Akira broke her gaze and turned on her heels, running to one of the furthest walls of the room. She approached a set of weapons nailed onto them and attempted to draw a sword from it. It didn't budge, so she desperately dove for another object-a regal naginata with a brilliant curved blade at its top. She struggled to keep it risen as the Shadow easily caught up to her. It knelt down and reached out to Akira. She slashed at it with the blade of her staff. The Shadow groaned and drew back for a moment, then went for her again. Shinjiro and Akihiko grabbed its arm, together fighting to hold it from Akira.

"Get out of here!" Akihiko urged.

"No!" Akira yelled. "We can't lead it out to the innocent bystanders out there! And I won't leave you behind!" She swung her blade down again, barely making a dent in its skin. The beast gave a vicious, animalistic chuckle and then roared once more to shake everyone off of it and their feet.

_"We have found you," _it muttered, making everyone jump out of their skin. Akira struggled to free herself up until the point the Shadow had her within a tongue's reach. The others tried to get the beast to let her down, but it was able to ignore them, a more important goal in mind.

"No…no…I…" Akira closed her eyes and shook her head, unable to hold back her tears. "I DON'T WANT TO DIE!"

Her scream shattered the room and a brilliant light started to glow around her. The Shadow covered its eyes its other arm. Akira's hands lifted the naginata she still held and slammed it into the Shadow's wrist. It howled so fiercely that it lost its grip and dropped the girl.

Akira descended gracefully onto the ballroom floor. The source of her gentle fall was a giant woman that slowly materialized behind her. The woman had a loose black and white toga hanging off of her snow-shaded skin. Her Rapunzel-like hair levitating far above her head. She flowed through the air as though suspended in the deepest watery depths. Shining gold almonds were her eyes and Akira's were altered to match them.

Fuuka's eyes were the widest upon seeing the specter. "A…a _Persona_?"

A series of almost invisible strings whipped out from the woman's limbs and attached themselves to Akira's corresponding ones. When the woman rose one hand, Akira did the same. When the woman flexed her arms, so did Akira. When the Persona gripped the air before her, Akira grasped the naginata in her fingers. The woman took a stance behind her user and Akira mimicked. They stared down the Shadow with a cool, deathly gaze.

Akira rushed after the Shadow with her Persona, slashing the Shadow's knee with uncanny precision and speed. The technique, the others noticed, represented their ex-leader's critical attack. They stared as the tip of the naginata began to glow at the end of the combo. She leaped up, and the white on the tip of her weapon met the Shadow's chest. Akira's Persona filled the Shadow with light magic in a single swipe. It howled as its skin cracked like a softened egg. Akira and her Persona backed off, hovering near the ceiling.

"You guys take care of the rest!" Akira urged, her voice gaining an ethereal tone.

"She's right!" Fuuka muttered, a strange glaze in her eyes. "I can barely sense it…but that weakened its defense!"

"Here's our chance for an all out attack!" Yukari announced, letting Junpei lean against a wall to rest.

Everyone but Junpei and Akira surrounded the beast and armed themselves.  
"Let's go!" Mitsuru called. The others followed her and created a giant dust cloud as they finished destroying the Shadow. It groaned one last time and crumpled to the floor, looking up at the softly-landing Akira.  
_"You…cannot be allowed to live…" _It hissed. _"We will…destroy you…" _Then, it faded into a black cloud, which morphed into the Roman numeral I before dissipating completely.

Akira looked shocked at its words and it could be seen in her eyes as they returned to normal. Her familiar eyes met Akihiko's, and she gave him a small, uncertain smile. Akihiko gave one back, but it fell when her eyelids flickered and she started to collapse to the ground. Shinjiro had been closest to her, and he was able to catch her limp body before it could hit the floor. Akihiko was there too, moving his hands to stroke Akira's hair out of her face. He let out a breath of air when he saw her fairly calm, but exhausted expression.

"Just the stress of battle," the dark haired boy concluded. Akihiko didn't know how his best friend did it, but Shinji always new exactly what he was thinking.

Mitsuru and the others had very pensive looks on their faces as they watched the unconscious girl. No one knew how to formulate the question that was on all of their minds…

"She…has Persona." Fuuka finally muttered.

"Yeah," Junpei cut in, limping into the circle that'd gathered. "I thought we took care of this for good…and she didn't even use an Evoker to summon it."

"As we learned from our adventure in Inaba, there are definitely still Persona occurrences that happen in the world," Mitsuru pointed out.

"But the Dark Hour?" Akihiko interjected, pointing at a clock in the room that'd stopped at 12pm. "That hasn't happened since…" His face became pained as the memory overtook him. The others flinched with him.

Shinjiro was the first to break the silence. "It doesn't matter right now. Akira needs some rest, and we could use some too."

The blue aura suddenly faded from the room. The Dark Hour was up, and they could once more hear the screams as the people fled from the building.

"Well, we should probably get Junpei to a hospital," Yukari suggested, holding the boy's weight up against her.

"I'll go, too," said Fuuka, helping Yukari take Junpei outside. The others stood around for a moment before Shinjiro shifted Akira around in his arms.

"Where should we put her?"

-...

Yep! Chapter 6! Sorry it took forever to post something!

This is more of a fight scene now! And what is this? Akira can use a Persona? OMG!

The beginning song is Angel of Darkness by Alex C. One of my all fave songs!


	8. Sidestep: Mitsuru Kirijo

_Snowing, be honest with yourself and smile_  
_When two people are getting closer, time overlaps_  
_Fairy, where are you going_  
_I will gather all the light and shine it on your tomorrow_

_Oh YEAH, feelings are floating on water's edge_  
_It is this season when orange changes into white way too soon_  
_Oh YEAH, let's see this rainbow together_  
_In memories seven colors are turning into snow_

_10/01/2013_

The red-haired woman gave out a little sigh. Akihiko was surely the most tiring person in Mitsuru's life. Not only had he been gone for two years and six months, but now here he was with a total stranger in her home…a stranger who could use a Persona, nonetheless.

Akihiko's head adjusted on her lap, his short silver hair creating static shocks on her feathery dress. He didn't seem to notice. Mitsuru stroked her friend's head for a moment while she glanced around the room.

The Kirijo ballroom was completely demolished. It looked like an earthquake had given the building a gigantic hug and ended up crushing everything in its too-strong arms. The golden walls were splattered across the white marble floors, along with art pieces that had been rather expensive. Mitsuru figured she'd have to purchase and import them all over again.

Shinjiro sat on one of the couches across the room from Mitsuru and Akihiko, his strong arms sprawled over the back and arm of his seat. His tuxedo was partially buttoned down and his tie was missing in action. He looked exhausted, but seemed much stronger that he had just a few weeks ago. He didn't meet her eyes, but Mitsuru knew that she could feel her gaze on him. Even Mitsuru was having a hard time suppressing a yawn.

But she couldn't rest. Not yet, at least.

Slowly, she rose, setting Akihiko's head on the cushion that was beneath her. Shinjiro was watching her leave, but she ignored him.

Down the hallway was a lounge where guests could talk privately, away from the ballroom music. The room itself had not been too badly damaged by the battle-or the earthquake before it. There were pieces of green walls spread over most of the red sofas, and the floors showed signs of minor cracking. Mitsuru stared down at the unconscious girl that was laying on the closest couch. Akira slept soundly in an almost fetal position. Her legs were partially trucked in with one foot dangling off of the cushions. Her arms were tucked in with one foot dangling into her chest and her head was curved towards them. Though she was only a year or two younger than Mitsuru, Akira looked to be a child.

"How's she doin'?

Mitsuru calmly turned to look at Shinjiro, who leaned against the doorway behind her.

"She's fine. A bit tuckered out, but she _did _just battle a Shadow." Shinjiro stared down at Akira, his face in its usual stone seriousness. They were both silent for a few moments.

"Tough thing, ain't she?" He said it with a short laugh. "Reminds me of Aki sometimes."

Mitsuru eyed him carefully. He'd only know the girl for about 6 hours, and yet he spoke of her as if they'd been life-long friends. It was very unlike him to show any attachment to someone so quickly-or anyone at all, for that matter.

"We don't know anything about who she is," she felt inclined to point out. "Someone who is being sought by a Shadow may be someone important or dangerous. Until we find out which, we'll need to keep here close by." Then, Shinjiro gave her a look. Through his frozen complexion, Mitsuru could see suspicion and offense.

"She's just a kid," he insisted. "I doubt that she has any idea what's happening to her." He went to sit in the empty space on the couch beside Akira almost protectively, only furthering Mitsuru's suspicions of his sudden closeness to her.

"Even so, we ought to be careful now. If Shadows and the Dark Hour have returned, we'll need to do all we can to watch our backs."

"Tch," Shinjiro muttered, "I know."

Mitsuru observed him sitting over Akira for a moment as he avoided her eyes, instead watching the young woman breathe in and out very deeply. Finally, the redhead turned on her stilettos and headed down the hall.

…

Her command room was empty. Her employees had probably fled at first sign of the "Earthquake". Mitsuru powered on the largest computer and sate down before it. When it registered her as the user, she brought up the main search database and sat there for a few moments. A part of her wondered now what she was looking for. There were plenty of questions on her mind, but she didn't even know where to start. So she considered this: Which question plagued her most? What left her cool, calculating countenance shaken by uncertainty?

Mitsuru's hands flexed and she typed in the name: Akira Narukami.

...

Dun dun dun! And the plot thickens!

And two chapters in one night? OMG! What is this? Me trying to catch up? What? Noooo...Ok, maybe.

That, and I wrote this part MONTHS ago.

The song at the start is "Snow Fairy" from Fairy Tail. :)

What will happen next? Is there some love triangles developing here? Who knows?!

Ps, it's overdue, but I don't own any person in this story except Akira.


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